


Couldn't Take the Rules When They Hit

by Snow



Category: Red Moon Rising
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Community: au_bingo, Gen, Office
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-19
Updated: 2011-01-19
Packaged: 2017-10-14 21:50:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/153819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snow/pseuds/Snow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Office AU of a Steampunk webcomic.  Mmm hmmn.</p><p>Adrianna is grumpy, and even grumpier when she doesn't have coffee.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Couldn't Take the Rules When They Hit

**Author's Note:**

> Written for au_bingo, for the Wild Card.

"Do you have the quarterly reports done yet?"

I look up at my boss as he looms at me over the cubicle wall, blinking slowly at him. When that doesn't seem to get the point across I shake my head at him. "I do not."

He sighs and gives me that disappointed look he spends so many hours practising. "Why not? Adrianna, it's part of standard procedure, and your job description. You don't really have a choice." He flashes a bright smile at me then. "You may as well get them done now."

I scowl back. "I'm going to need more coffee."

His smile broadens, like he thinks he's won. I rather suppose he has. I do need this job for important things, like being able to hand my landlord rent at the end of every month and being able to buy groceries. And as far as these things go, having to deal with someone who actually believes that simply smiling enough is enough to boost office morale isn't the worst thing in the world. It only sometimes feels like it. "Get all the coffee you want, just have the reports to me by the end of the week."

I nod and wait for him to walk off to hassle someone else before grabbing for my cup and heading to fill it with coffee.

Unfortunately for everyone involved it's not a simple matter of grabbing my terrible-tasting yet caffeinated coffee and leaving.

"I'm working on brewing the next pot," Galak says without glancing up. "It'll be a couple more minutes."

I smirk at him. "Surprised to see you're not rushing back to your desk to get work done while you wait."

He starts a little when I start talking, but recovers admirably. "Maybe I will, now," he suggests. "And you can bring a cup to me at my desk." He winks at me, but doesn't move from his spot by the pot. I think he's still a bit afraid of me, which is an indicator that he has at least a little common sense.

It also means I don't have to commit acts of violence against him in order to keep him from flirting with me. My first couple weeks working at Ashul were...complicated, to be sure. "Coffee done yet?" I ask.

Galak sighs. "It's been twenty seconds, Adrianna. What do you think?"

"I think yes?"

"How come you're only ever optimistic when it involves coffee?"

I snort a laugh at that. "You really wouldn't want to see me if I _wasn't_ optimistic when it came to coffee. It might involve rather more death threats."

He lifts his eyebrows. "More than you already direct at me? I'm not sure I can even imagine that."

"Ha bloody ha." I lapse into silence, staring intently at the coffeepot for a while. "There's definitely enough for a cup now, Galak. Give it to me."

He lifts an eyebrow, as if he actually might challenge me, before taking my mug out of my hand and filling it with coffee. "Go have fun with your part of the report," he murmurs, all patronisingly. I have coffee though, so he can live. For now.

**Author's Note:**

> I welcome and appreciate comments, including constructive criticism.


End file.
